Difficult yet possible

“Eastern Christians before the changes in the Arab world”, is the theme addressed by Msgr. Samir Nassar, Maronite Archbishop of Damascus, in a letter to European bishops that include Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family who adjourned his visit to Syria after the outbreak of revolts and the crisis that ensued across the country. Follows the integral text of the letter. How can we welcome change? The changes in the Arab Countries – violent and peaceful changes alike – pave the way to renewed democracy. A new Middle East is taking shape. These changes could either lead to painful and destabilizing chaos or else they might bring the inevitable reinstatement of traditional Islam… How must these new challenges be met? The Church ought to address them and custom her dialogic modalities to the new situation. It has happened many times in the course of history. We must always seek new paths of dialogue and opportunities for hope. It’s difficult, but it’s still possible. Mutual enrichment. Eastern Christians are a minority group in a Muslim majority context. They are tasked with transmitting the Gospel, the yeast of the dough. This situation has been ongoing since the 7th century. It is a far-dated experience with its ups and downs. We are Arab-speaking Christians, thus our religious life takes place amongst the Muslim population. They visit our open and welcoming churches, where men and women pray together, a silent yet eloquent witness of equality. They listen to our speeches and to our Gospel commentary, notably via the Catholic television, whose Arab-language programs are broadcast via satellite 24 hrs a day. Moreover, Christian faithful respect the moments of prayer of the Muslim population, their fasting for Ramadan and the charity towards the poor. They are cognizant or their Christian duties whilst courageously living their faith. Secular coexistence. Christian faithful dread Muslim fundamentalism that risks affecting their freedom of worship. This fear is justified by hotbeds of violence and persecution, still present in the collective memory. In order to overcome this situation, the role of the Church consists in “stepping up dialogue with moderate Islam, that is still the majority. It is equally important to prevent Islamophobia and to encourage opportunities for encounter in the areas of culture, arts, sport and humanitarian initiatives whilst rejecting Western Islam-opposing policies, in Europe and elsewhere; to underline the role of reconciliation in conflicts marked by frictions between our Sunni, Shiite and Alawite fellow citizens, as happens in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. An evangelical mission of peace that deserves being enhanced”.De facto ecumenism. Due to the ongoing social instability and insecurity the small Eastern Churches close ranks and reduce diversities. The Synod on Eastern Christians of October 2010 laid ground for indispensable cooperation amongst the ecclesial families in the Middle East, which already share Catechism, marriage preparation, support to the poor, places of worship etc. Orthodox-Catholic encounters have been ongoing for the past years. Charity is addressed to all the poor, without distinction of race or religion. Anxiety and hopes of Iraqi refugees. The consistent presence of Iraqi refugees in Damascus, although dramatic, is a grace. It’s an anchor of salvation for Christian communities in Syria. Since 2003 the Church in Syria was exceptionally renewed by the refugees, marked by precious spiritual zeal. Iraqi refugees are deeply anguished. They fled from death and violence in Iraq in search of a more welcoming home. Where should they go now? Their concerns are even greater. They need psychological, spiritual and human support. We no longer know what to say or do. They spend hours in churches, lighting candles to the Holy Virgin, closed in their self-explanatory silence. It’s a sad situation. Given the standstill situation it’s hard to be Christians, unable to do anything, yet cultivating hope. The appeal of the pope. A military regime or Islamic fundamentalism? Christian and non-Christian minorities have little say in decision-making processes. Since December 2010 the world around us proceeds at a very fast pace, without time to react. Or rather, not knowing how to react and which side to support. We have no choice but to interact with the forces in power and be suspicious about the youth rebellion, which in all likelihood will lead to the instalment of an Islamic regime. This standstill is hard to manage, being also marked by serious economic problems and social frailty. The silence and fear of Eastern Christians was soothed by Benedict XVI, who declared in a heartfelt appeal launched on Sunday May 15 after the “Regina Cæli” prayer: “I ask God to spare this country of great religions and civilization any further bloodshed and I invite the Authorities and all the citizens to spare no effort in the search for the common good and in the acceptance of legitimate aspirations to a future of peace and stability”.The Synod in the vanguard. Before these challenges a difficult and uncertain future lies ahead of the small Eastern churches, whose silence and neutrality are regarded with suspicion by those in power as well as by the rioters. We are perturbed by the revolts and we feel like we’re being overwhelmed by the revolutionary youth. We’re affected by something like an “Iraqi syndrome”, namely, by paralyzing fear. Religious practice is decreasing. Children have suspended catechism. The survival of our small churches depended on ecclesial solidarity in the clergy, amongst seminarians, in schools, dispensaries, catechesis, boarding homes, social services etc. Without Christian solidarity our mission can’t go on. The Synod of Eastern Churches took place in Rome in October 2010, two months before the outburst of the revolts in the Arab world. As if the Church had foreseen the crisis, proposing the Synod as a guide and as a message of hope and peace. This message encourages Eastern Christians to live their citizenship fully in the various Countries. The Synod invites us to address these peoples’ challenges and aspirations. The Incarnation, more than anything else, characterizes Christian life. It’s the only path for the future of a changing world. Will it possible for us to continue our Christian witness in a Biblical land longing for peace? Christian Churches in SyriaAccording to the Bulletin of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops (10-24 October 2010), “by Middle East we mean the following states: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Turkey, Palestinian Territories, and Yemen. This vast region of 7,180,912 square kilometers is home to 356,174,000 people, of whom 5,707,000 are Catholics, representing 1.6% of the population. At the same time, the number of Christians is about 20,000,000, that is, 5.62% of the population”. The Synod Paper, that provides updated statistics on Christians in the Middle East, underlines the particularity of the Catholic Church in the Middle East that is expressed in a multifarious unity. Other than the Church of the Latin tradition, since earliest times there have been 6 Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris, each with its own patriarch, father and head of the Church [2]: Coptic Church, Syrian Church, Greek-Melchite Church, Maronite Church, Chaldean Church and Armenian Church.Although “the figures aren’t accurate”, the data presented by the Chaldean bishop of Aleppo, Jesuit Fr Antoine Audo, shows that “Christians range from one million to one and half million, out of a total population of some 18 million citizens”. Christians belong to two Syriac and Greek Orthodox churches, and to six Catholic Churches, namely the Greek, Syriac, Maronite, Armenian, Chaldean and Latin churches. There are also Evangelical communities and the Assyrian Eastern church. According to estimates, there are approximately 400 thousand Catholics in the country.